Florida Ice Cream Shop Insurance Policy Information

Florida Ice Cream Shop Insurance. Ice cream is quite possibly the most universally beloved confectionery. To make sure the smiles keep coming from happy customers, you depend on your equipment and your employees. But what if your ice cream equipment breaks down or an employee is injured on the job? Would your insurance provide enough coverage to pay for repairs or medical costs?

Ice cream parlors sell ice cream and related products, and may operate on a seasonal basis. While some offer table service, others have customers place orders and pick them up at a counter. Some offer sandwiches or other types of fast food items and may have a cooking exposure.

There's always a chance of possible loss, damage or theft of your utensils, damage to your kitchens, or an expensive claim if an employee or member of the public is injured or worse due to your work. That's why it's important to manage these risks and keep your business safe with a tailored Florida ice cream shop insurance policy.

Florida ice cream shop insurance protects your parlor from lawsuits with rates as low as $27/mo. Get a fast quote and your certificate of insurance now.

Why Do You Need Ice Cream Shop Insurance?

The Florida ice cream shop insurance is suitable for anyone who owns or manages an ice cream parlor, shop or cafe selling ice cream and frozen treats. Compared to a standard business insurance policy, a Florida ice cream shop insurance meets the needs of the hospitality industry. For example, you will probably find your business is seasonal so you carry different levels of stock during the year. This policy can be tailored to your requirements so you're only paying for coverages that are relevant to your operation.

Types Of Ice Cream Store Insurance

The risks for an FL ice cream store can be very wide because of the many different exposures involved with your business activities. Before paying costly fees for an attorney's advice, we can at least help you to identify some of the potential claims that could arise and the Florida ice cream shop insurance coverages that would protect you in the event of such claims:

Food Contamination Insurance: Many ice cream stores also have a deli or restaurant, where you are serving hamburgers or chicken sandwiches. Cross-contamination of raw meat with ice cream could cause serious illness among your patrons. Protect your business with the food contamination policy.

Commercial General Liability: General liability Insurance protects your business from various third party liability claims:

Premises Liability - Protects you in the event that one of your customers sustains an injury while on your premises. An example would be a child dropped is ice cream on floor and another customer slipped and fell on it.

Product Liability - If one of the products you sell causes a an illness or injury, this coverage will help pay for your legal and court fees if a lawsuit should arise.

Equipment Insurance: What do you do when your dispensing machines stop working? Or if your store was vandalized... Pretty much, you have nothing to sell. Unless of course you have all risk equipment insurance. All risk means that you are protected from any peril that damages your equipment. You do not need to specify which perils you are protecting your business from - all risks means just that - complete protection.

Business interruption: This Florida ice cream shop insurance policy provides coverage to make sure that if something unfortunate were to happen, you won't be out of pocket. For instance, if you suffered fire damage at your premises meaning you were unable to open, business interruption will typically cover your gross profit and fixed expenses while we get you back on your feet. This means you shouldn't be out of pocket if the worst does happen.

Workers' Compensation: Workers comp is required in most states for any non-owner employees. Protect yourself with FL workers compensation that covers employees' occupational injury expenses.

Employee Dishonesty: This Florida ice cream shop insurance coverage protects your business from financial loss in the event that one of your employees steals from your business or engages in other illegal behavior while working for you.

Cyber Liability: If you also retail the ice cream through your website, Facebook or any other channel, you may be aware that you are at risk of a variety of cyber crimes. Hackers can get into your account and forge payments, or steal business or customer financial information and use it for illegal means. Cyber liability insurance will protect your business from losses incurred from crimes like these.

Commercial Crime: Unfortunately, crime occurs in many retail stores, including ice cream stores. Crimes you are open to include theft, shoplifting, fraudulent payment for merchandise, embezzlement, and vandalism that destroys your stock. Since this is a significant risk, you should protect your store with crime insurance. If an employee steals money from the cash register or someone vandalized your property, you have insurance to cover the loss.

Business Owners' Policy (BOP): BOPs are great for ice cream stores because they are affordable and they offer both the general liability, business personal property and business interruption on a single bundled policy. With this Florida ice cream shop insurance policy, you can obtain coverage in case a patron gets injured as well as protect your business against property claims.

Commercial Umbrella: This is a coverage that adds excess coverage to your other liability policies. If you reach the maximum limits of coverage on an insurance claim, a commercial umbrella provides additional coverage to help prevent your ice cream store from having to pick up the balance.

FL Ice Cream Parlor's Risks & Exposures

Property exposures are from electrical wiring, cooking, refrigeration units, and heating and air conditioning systems. Wiring must be up to code, well maintained and adequate to support freezers. If ammonia is used as a refrigerant, there should be a leakage detection system to prevent an explosion. Refrigeration equipment must be inspected and maintained on an ongoing basis.

While cooking may be limited to microwave and ovens, there may be grills and deep fat fryers. These must be protected with automatic fire extinguishing equipment, shutoff valves, hoods, and filters. The kitchen must be kept clean and grease free to prevent fire spread. Filters should be regularly changed. Spoilage losses can be severe if the refrigeration equipment malfunctions or loses power.

Controls should be in place. Ice cream and other food items are highly susceptible to damage. A small fire or power outage can cause all stock to be condemned as unfit for consumption or sale. Loss of business income can be high after a loss, particularly if operations are seasonal.

Equipment breakdown exposure is due to the reliance of the business on properly maintained and electrically powered freezers. These must be regularly inspected and maintained.

Premises liability exposures are moderate due to public access to the premises. When seating is provided, customers may pick up their orders at a counter and carry them to their tables, generating spills that can result in slips and falls. Housekeeping must be excellent and spills must be cleaned up promptly. If hot beverages are served, temperatures must be limited to reduce injuries due to scalding.

Older patrons and those with mobility limitations are more prone to injury should a fall occur. Procedures should be in place to assist these customers in transporting purchases to their table. Floor covering must be in good condition with no frayed or worn spots on carpet and no cracks or holes in flooring. Steps and uneven floor surfaces should be prominently marked. Exits must be well marked, with backup lighting systems in case of power failure. Parking lots and sidewalks need to be in good repair, with snow and ice removed if operations are year round, and generally level and free of exposure to slip and falls.

Outdoor security and lighting must be consistent with the area. Seasonal operations may present an attractive nuisance hazard when not in use. There should be adequate security during the off-season. Lists of ingredients should be posted to prevent allergic reactions.

Products liability exposure is high due to the possibility of food poisoning, contamination and allergic reactions from food carried off premises for consumption. Monitoring the quality of food received, posting lists of ingredients, and maintaining proper storage temperature can reduce this exposure. The stock should be regularly rotated so older products are sold first. Out of date stock must be removed on a regular basis and discarded.

Workers compensation exposures are high due to slips, falls, cuts, burns, puncture wounds, foreign objects in the eye, frostbite from working with frozen food, heavy and awkward lifting, and interactions with customers. All walk-in freezers must have inside escape releases. Food handling can result in passing bacteria or viruses, resulting in illness. Anhydrous ammonia refrigerants are poisonous when leaked into confined spaces such as coolers.

Controls must be in place to maintain, check, and prevent such injury. As with all retail businesses, hold-ups are possible so employees should be trained to respond in a prescribed manner. Cleaning workers can develop respiratory ailments or contact dermatitis from working with chemicals. The employees tend to be minimum wage and turnover may be high. Company incentives to encourage long-term employment are positive signs of management control.

Crime exposures are from employee dishonesty and loss of money and securities. Criminal background checks should be conducted on any employee handling money. Most transactions are handled with cash. Money should be removed from the cash drawer at regular intervals and either deposited at the bank or stored in an on-premises safe. There must be a separation of duties between employees handling deposits and disbursements and reconciling bank statements.

Inland marine exposures include computers for tracking inventory and valuable papers and records for employee and supplier information.

Business auto exposures are generally limited to hired and nonownership liability for employees running errands.

FL Ice Cream Shop Insurance

Owning an FL ice cream parlor is a reliable and fun way to earn a living. Ice cream is popular with all ages and can sell year round. Shops have a lot of activity in them, particularly during the busy seasons, and this introduces to more potential risks to your business. You can protect yourself from unexpected events, risks and hazards by carrying the right types and amounts of commercial insurance.

Florida Economic Data And Commercial Insurance Requirements

If you are thinking about starting up a business in the state of Florida, it's important to understand the economic standing of the state before you set up shop. Furthermore, you should understand the rules and regulations regarding FL commercial insurance.

With this information, you will be able to determine if Florida is the right place for your business, and if so, what type of insurance you will need to carry to protect yourself, your employees, and the people that you serve.

Economic Trends For Businesses In FL

Florida is known as the sunshine state, and the economic outlook for this state is just as bright as the weather. It is estimated that the economy in Florida will reach $1 trillion by the end of the 2019 calendar year. However, while financially, the economy is expected to boom, it is forecasted that job growth will decline.

The reason for the economic boom? While businesses do certainly contribute to the economy, industry isn't the reason why Florida's economy is expected to soar; the residents that move to the state are largely responsible for its economic growth. Approximately 898 people move to Florida every day, and those new residents bring a tremendous amount of income for the state.

In terms of job growth, the rate of new jobs has been its highest since 2007; however, it is forecasted to slow during 2018. Approximately 180,000 new jobs will be added in 2018, which is slightly less than the new jobs that were added in 2017.

The industries that contribute the most to Florida's economy include:

Agriculture

Aviation & Aerospace

Financial Services

Healthcare

International Trade

Life Sciences

Tourism

Commercial Insurance: Regulations & Limits In Florida

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation regulates insurance in FL. The only type of coverage that business owners must carry is workers' compensation. Organizations in any industry must carry this type of coverage if they employ a staff of hourly or salaried workers. But, organizations that employ three or less people are not legally required to carry this type of coverage.

Business owners are also required to carry commercial auto insurance if they use any vehicles for their operations, such as making deliveries or transporting goods. Commercial liability insurance is another type of coverage that Florida business owners should consider carrying, though they are not legally required to have this type of insurance.

Additional Resources For Retail Insurance

Read valuable small business retail insurance policy information. In a retail business, you need to have the right type of commercial insurance coverage so that your store, employees, and inventory are protected.

Retail stores are susceptible to premises liability claims because of customer traffic, but large department and specialty stores are more susceptible than most.

All retail stores have significant property exposures. The on-hand stock represents a considerable investment, but the amount on hand fluctuates seasonally. For this reason, physical damage insurance on this property must be arranged carefully. When the insured occupies a non-owned building, insurance coverage must be arranged for the insured's interest in extensive improvements and betterments made to the premises.

Crime insurance, in the form of employee theft and money and securities coverage, is also very important.

The businessowners policy was designed with retail exposures and operations in mind. For this reason alone, it should always be the first type of package coverage to consider. However, for those risks not eligible for the business owners policy program, the commercial package policy (CPP) is a practical and convenient way to combine a number of coverages into one policy.

Retail businesses generate income through interaction with customers. This interaction is also how a customer can sustain an injury and then sue the retailer for damages. Hazards, exposures and operations both on premises and off are important and must be covered, but liability the retailer may incur because of the merchandise sold must also be considered and insurance protection arranged.

Inventory or stock is the major property exposure for most retail operations. Because stock values tend to fluctuate or have significant peaks at certain times of the year, value reporting or peak season valuation options should be considered. Business income coverage, including business income from dependent properties coverage, may mean the difference between a retail operation staying in business or being forced into bankruptcy following a loss.

When the insured occupies a non-owned building, insurance coverage must be arranged for the insured’s interest in extensive improvements and betterments made to the premises.

Most retail businesses offer endless opportunities for a variety of criminal activities. For this reason, the coverages needed must be carefully evaluated. Holdup and robbery losses may be the most obvious concerns but employee theft, fraud and counterfeit money losses are also serious issues that cannot be dismissed.

Retail businesses are gaining greater exposure to international issues because of the growth in sales via the internet. As these sales increase, the added exposures faced by these retailers must be evaluated. While their operating horizons are expanding so are their potential loss exposures.

Also learn about Florida small business insurance requirements for general liability, business property, commercial auto & workers compensation including FL business insurance costs. Call us (954) 399-3996.

Ice Cream Shop Insurance

Rated 4.8/5 based on 115 reviews

Disclaimer

The commercial insurance content available on this page is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal or financial advice.

General Liability Insure does not warrant or make any representations regarding the usefulness of or the expected results of the material contained on this website. You should contact your attorney, accountant and/or financial adviser to obtain advice with respect to any particular commercial insurance question, claim or issue.